Two arrested, three wanted in jewelry store heist

GONZALES – Police arrested two men and said three other suspects are at large Wednesday in connection with the armed robbery of a Gonzales jewelry store last month.

Louisiana State Police arrested one suspect, 21-year-old Jacquendes Octave of Harvey, early Wednesday morning. Authorities in Georgia also arrested Casey Johnson, the brother of another suspected robber, after a trooper there said they found loot from the robbery in his vehicle.

Gonzales Police said on July 14 four men with guns went into Roussel's on Airline Highway and threatened to kill the employees. They then stole jewelry from the display cabinets as well as items from the store's safe and the surveillance video equipment.

Detectives said they found out the four visited another jewelry store earlier that day, and used surveillance video as well as fingerprints and social media to identify the group. Police said one was a New Orleans juvenile with a history of robberies while the three others were Octave, 33-year-old Walter Johnson of Metairie, and 22-year-old Jay Lyons of Gretna.

Investigators said the group identified themselves as a self-made gang called the "Truce Mob."

Gonzales Police said on July 18 the FBI in Atlanta contacted them about Walter Johnson's brother. The FBI said a Georgia State Trooper had stopped a vehicle driven by Casey Johnson and found a large number of diamond rings which were later identified as belonging to Roussel's. Johnson was extradited back to Gonzales and charged with accessory after the fact to armed robbery.

Detectives said the vehicle used the robbery also turned up on July 22 when it was seized by investigators in Jefferson Parish. Police said it's owned by Jay Lyons and is being held as evidence.

Then on Aug. 12, Louisiana State Police said they pulled Octave over for a traffic stop. During that stop investigators with Gonzales let them know about the warrants out for his arrest, and he was taken into custody. Gonzales investigators said he is being questioned about the robbery and his cohorts, and will be booked on four charges of armed robbery, four charges of armed robbery with a firearm, and one charge of felony theft in excess of $25,000.

Gonzales PD asked anyone with information about the remaining suspects who are still at large to call them at 225-647-9536.